• As the short-term rental sector continues to attract criticism in cities where there is pressure on housing stock, it’s good to see industry bodies in Europe collaborating strategically.

Both Amsterdam and Paris have threatened bans on short-term rentals, and industry bodies believe regulators need to better understand how the sector works. The European Technology & Travel Services Association (ETTSA) and the European Holiday Home Association (EHHA) have set out a roadmap with actions for the short-term rental industry to work towards.

The move came as the European Commission held a conference on the collaborative economy following workshops with various stakeholders in 2017.

The Commission also released a ‘Eurobarometer’ showing the growing popularity of the collaborative economy among consumers. Almost 25 per cent of EU citizens said they used the platforms in different sectors such as accommodation or transport.

ETTSA secretary general Emmanuel Mounier said the short-term rental industry should receive more guidance from the EU and insisted the roadmap demonstrated its readiness and commitment to engage in dialogue.

• We hope you are enjoying our new STRz website - we are committed to providing the latest news and intelligence for the fast-growing and rapidly-evolving short term rental industry, covering urban and resort vacation rentals, home-sharing, holiday homes, business travel and more.

This is such an exciting industry, and it's growing at a dizzying speed. There is so much happening in the space in terms of legislation, technological innovation and major investment we felt it was important that there was a dedicated news and information resource for short term rental professionals to keep up to date. STRz will bring you all the important news, along with comment, analysis, guest writers and video content.

If you have a story you want us to tell the industry, please contact me on the email address below.